Projecting device for table top horseshoe game



L- W. COREY March 22, 1966 PROJEGTING DEVICE FOR TABLE TOP HORSESHOE GAME Filed April 26, 1963 United States Patent O 3,241,540 PROJECTING DEVICE FGR TABLE TOP HORSESHOE GAME Leslie W. Corby, North Miami, Fla. (3941 NE. 17th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Filed Apr. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 275,902 3 (llaims. (Cl. 124-7) This invention relates to games and, more particularly, to games having one part in the form of a horseshoe, which in this particular game is, of course, a miniature one, since it is a game that is played on a table top or the like.

While the game of horseshoes has for many decades been a favorite of teenagers and grown people, it has not been available to small children and cripples by reason of the fact that the horseshoes are naturally heavy and therefore the game must be played on the ground.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a projecting device for a miniature horseshoe game that, since it is best played on the table top, is therefore called by that name. This is a game that can be played by anyone capable of sitting at a table regardless of his age.

Another object of this invention is to provide a projecting device for a game of table top horseshoes that takes up a minimum of space while being played.

Another object of this invention is to provide a projecting device for a game of table top horseshoes that can be manufactured from low priced material, thus making it possible to present a packaged game that is similarly attractive to both young and old.

Another object of this invention is to provide a projecting device for a game of table top horseshoes that can be constructed in any number of forms and still fall within the spirit and intent of the appended claims.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a projecting device for a game of table top horseshoes that does not contain any complicated mechanism to break or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of this game of table top horseshoes will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of this invention attached to the top of a table.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of a form of game apparatus utilizing this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicated by the character 8 a miniature horseshoe projecting device embodying a supporting member 9 that consists of a horizontally disposed base 10 and a vertically disposed upright 11 as well as an angularly disposed member 12. The base 10, upright 11, and member 12 are all of one single piece of material, such as wood or metal. The aforesaid base 10 is provided with a pair of spaced openings through which project bolts 13 and 14. The bolt 13 passes upward through an elongated opening 15 in the game board 16, while bolt 14 passes upward through opening 17 in the same game board 16,

3,241,540 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 thereby providing a means of adjustment for this novel device 8 when the same is secured to the aforesaid game board 16.

A loading spring 18, having a tab 19 formed on the lower end thereof, is suitably secured to the angularly disposed member 12 by means of rivets 20 that also secure the sub-spring 21 thereto, as is illustrated in FIG- URE 2 of the appended drawing, Where it is also seen that the lower end of the sub-spring 21. is upturned to form a rectangular stop 22 for the miniature horseshoe that is indicated in dashed lines in FIGURE 1 of the drawing and characterized by the reference numeral 23. The aforesaid rectangular stop 22 projects through an elongated opening in the loading spring 18. As clearly shown in FIGURE 5, an adjustment screw 24, having a wing nut 25, passes through a threaded opening in angularly disposed member 12, and the end of said adjusting screw bears on loading spring 18. By means of the threaded connection and rivets 20, the adjusting screw is so engaged with the aforesaid loading spring 18 as to provide means of controlling the angular position of the loading spring 18 and the trajectory and force when the aforesaid miniature horseshoe 23, that is made of soft rubber or an equivalent pliable material, is projected to its target pin 26, which is vertically mounted on the aforesaid game board 16.

Looking now at FIGURE 3 of this invention, it will be seen that there are two sets of openings 15 and 17 for the mounting of two of the aforedescribed horseshoe projecting devices 8, as well as the single vertically disposed target pin 26. A pair of spaced score dials 27 are suitably mounted on the game board 16, which is designed for two players.

Since the game of horseshoes is one of mans oldest games and is known to nearly everyone regardless of his age, no detailed instruction as to the actual way in which this game of table top horseshoes is played is given in this specification. It is sufiicient to state that the projecting device 8 is aimed at the target pin 26 by means of bolts 13 and 14 and openings 15 and 17. The trajectory of the miniature horseshoe is adjusted by adjusting the angular position of the loading spring 18 by means of adjusting screw 24 and locknut 25. A miniature horseshoe is placed as shown in FIGURE 1. A finger is placed against tab 19 to bring loading spring 18 against sub-spring 21 and farther if desired. Tab 19 is then released suddenly and the miniature horseshoe is projected towards target 26.

While I have illustrated and described a particular constructioi'i embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto, as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A projecting device for use in a game of table top horseshoes comprising a supporting member having a base member, one end of said base member being upturned to form a vertically extending upright, the upper end of said upright terminating in a downwardly inclined member, a downwardly inclined loading spring having its upper end secured to the downwardly inclined member, the loading spring terminating in a tab at its lower end, a sub-spring having one end secured to said downwardly inclined member, the sub-spring located beneath said loading spring and normally at a slight angle thereto, the lower end of said sub-spring projecting upward through an opening in said loading spring, thereby pro- 3 4 viding a ledge upon which a miniature horseshoe may rest References Cited by the Examiner in posiilion ready for projection. 1 d f UNITED STATES ATENTS 2. T e combination of claim 1 incu ing means or adjusting the angular position of the loading spring relag g 273 100 tive to said downwardly inclined member to vary the tra- 5 3861 5/ 95 Overke jectory of the miniature horseshoe. 9 1 7 Konop a 273 100 3. The combination of claim 1 including means having FOREIGN PATENTS an adjusting screw for adjusting the angular position of 105,737 4/1917 Great Britain the loading spring relative to said downwardly inclined member to vary the trajectory of the miniature horseshoe. 1O DELBERT B LOWE, Prima/y Examiner. 

1. A PROJECTING DEVICE FOR USE IN A GAME OF TABLE TOP HORSESHOES COMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEMBER HAVING A BASE MEMBER, ONE END OF SAID BASE MEMBER BEING UPTURNED TO FORM A VERTICALLY EXTENDING UPRIGHT, THE UPPER END OF SAID UPRIGHT TERMINATING IN A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED MEMBER, A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED LOADING SPRING HAVING ITS UPPER END SECURED TO THE DOWNWARDLY INCLINED MEMBER, THE LOADING SPRING TERMINATING IN A TAB AT ITS LOWER END, A SUB-SPRING HAVING ONE END SECURED TO SAID DOWNWARDLY INCLINED MEMBER, THE SUB-SPRING LOCATED BENEATH SAID LOADING SPRING AND NORMALLY AT A SLIGHT ANGLE THERETO, THE LOWER END OF SAID SUB-SPRING PROJECTING UPWARD THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID LOADING SPRING, THEREBY PROVIDING A LEDGE UPON WHICH A MINIATURE HORSESHOE MAY REST IN POSITION READY FOR PROJECTION. 